Device for passing a line around an object

ABSTRACT

A device comprising a two-armed fork element and a shuttle element which can pivotally engage both arms and swing about either of them in opposite directions so that a line carried by the shuttle element can be passed around a remote object such as a mooring ring.

United States Patent 1 1.

Wemyss [4 May 28, 1974 [54] DEVICE FOR PASSING A LINE AROUND AN 2,591,638 4/1952 Traf1on 294 19 R O EC 2,700,252 1/1955 Pagane11i.... 47/1 2,730,985 1/1956 Wingate..... 114/230 [76] Inven or: Anth ny Cha W my 1 3,072,429 111963 Stipan 294/19 R Haydn, Purley, England [22] Flled: 1972 Primary Examiner Evon C. Blunk [21] Appl. No.: 307,247 Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry Attorney, Agent, or Firm -lmirie and Smiley [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 16, 1971 Great Britain 53176/71 [57] ABSTRACT [52] 11.8. C1. 294/19 R, 114/230 [51] Int. Cl 1363b 21/04 A device comprising a two-armed fork element and a 1 1 Field 01 Search 19 82 33 shuttle element which can pivotally engage both arms 1 1 153 and swing about either of them in opposite direqtions so that a line carried by the shuttle element can be References Cited passed around a remote object such as a mooring ring.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,347,718 17 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 5/1944 Terry 114/230 DEVICE FOR PASSING A LINE AROUND AN OBJECT This invention relates to a device for passing a line and a typical use is, the passing of a mooring line from a boat through an eye such as that of a mooring buoy or round a vertical mooring rod, a step or a dockside ladder or part of the rigging in another boat. The invention is not limited to such applications nor even to marine applications; it could be used for example for passing a line through an eye or around a bar for lifting purposes or in the course of slinging or rigging (e.g. slinging of a wire between pulons or posts) or, by way of further example-passing a line from a helicopter for lifting purposes. In each of these cases the primary aim of the invention is to enable a line to be passed around an object such as, for example, another line, eye, rod, or the like and then brought back to the user so that he can then manipulateor secure on the basis of a double-line and consequently can end of the line.-

Neither is the term line limited to any particular form, and it is to be understood that line includes any form of rope, thread, wire, tape, lagging material or the like. t

The invention preferably takes the form of a device release simply by letting go one which may conveniently be mounted on the end of a pole rather asthe working end of a boat hook is attached to its pole andas will be seen, it'is of extremely simple construction.

Broadly speaking, the inventionresides in a device for passing a line comprising a two-armed fork element and a shuttle element adapted to engage the two arms by means of co-operating pivots and open ended recesses or slots, one pivot and one recess or slot being associated with each armand being so arranged that the shuttle element can swing about either arm in one sense of direction to release the shuttle element from engagement with the alternative arm, subsequent swinging movement of the shuttle element in the alternate sense of direction being such as to re-engage the shuttle ele' ment with the last mentioned arm so that the engagement with the first arm can thereafter be released, the shuttle element being adapted to carry the line to be passed.

In certain cases it is expedient for the shuttle element to be resiliently biassed towards that position in which it is in engagement with botharms defined for convenience throughout this specification as the central position. This is particularly useful when a continuous series of passing operations are to be carried out consecutively and it has been found that if a continuous store of line is carried upon the shuttle element intermediate of the two arms, a continuous wrapping motion can be effected simply by reciprocating the device to and fro across, for example, a pipe which is to be lagged with electrically or thermally insulating tape, the entire store of tape being passed around the pipe each time and gradually unwinding in the process.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which 7 FIG; 1 illustrates one form of line handler suitable for passing a mooring line through a ring, part of the shuttle element being removed to illustrate features of its construction:

FIG. 1A is a modification in which the pivots are on the arms of the fork element and the slots are in the shuttle:

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a second form of line handler:

FIG. 3 is a similar view of a shuttle element resiliently biassed to a central position and I FIG. 3A is a partially exploded view thereof:

FIG. 4 illustrates a second form of biassed shuttle and FIG. 4A a further modification and;

FIG. 5 illustrates a hand held device for continously wrapping tape around a pipe or the like.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a two-armed fork element 1 adapted to be fitted on the end of a pole, such as the normally unused end of a boat hook. One arm 2 has at its outer end an outwardly facing slot 4 and the other arm 3 an inwardly facing slot 5, these slots respectively defining hooks 4A, 5A.

A second element 6 is provided which may conveniently be termed a shuttle. This element is fabricated from a pair of check plates-rigidly interconnected by a series of pins, the cheek plates being sufficiently spaced apart to embrace the ends of the arms. Pins 8 and are spaced apart such that they may simultaneously engage in the slots 4 and 5 -respectively. The pins 8 and 9 acting as pivots, the shuttle element 6 may swing either inwardly about slot 4 or outwardly about slot 5. Stop pins 10 are also provided in the shuttle which act to prevent the shuttle from being disconnected entirelyfrom the-fork element 1, that is to say to prevent both pins 4 and 5 from escaping from their respective slots at the same time. This is achieved as follows: the radial thickness of the hooks 4A, 5A is constant, the hooks being arcuate about a centre defined by the alternative pin 9 or 8 when situated at the base of its slot 5 or 4. This thickness corresponds, apart from a necessary small working clearance, to the distance between the appropriate pivot pin 8,0r 9 and stop pin 10. The length of the slots 4 and 5 are such that the angle the shuttle must turn through to enable a pivot pin to reach the open end of its slot decreases the projected width between the alternative pivot pin and its stop pin to a sufficient degree to prevent movement of provided that the correct gap is defined between the stops and pivot pins, and in another embodiment there is provided a continous web joining the two cheek plates and extending between the two positions defined by pins 10 in FIG. 1.-

The shuttle element has an end extending beyond the end of arm 2, this extension being provided with a hole 7 through which may be threaded the end of the line which is to be passed, secured for example by a single knot, or simply looped through the hole so that the line will be passed in double thickness.

The operation of this device is as follows. It is to be imagined that a line, the presence of which is indicated at .11, is to be passed through a wire strop or eye or around a linear object which eye or object is represented in full line at 12. The line is passed with two operations of the device. The device being in the ceneye or object 12. The shuttle 6 thereupon rocks inwardly about pin 8 into the broken line position shown on the left of the Figure, in so doing disengaging the pin 9 from the slot 5. The eye or object 12 is now engaged between the arms 2 and 3 as shown in broken line; the user pulls on the line 11 thereby rotating the element 6 counterclockwise and returning the element 6 to its central position. For the second operation he then pulls on the pole so that the eye or object now indicated at 12A bears outwardly on the shuttle 6 and swings it outwardly about the pin 9 into the broken line position shown on the right-hand side of the drawing, the pin 8 disengaging from the slot 4. In the course of this movement the shuttle carries the line 11 through the eye or around the object that is to say across to the righthand side of the drawing as shown in the dotted line position at the top of FIG. I. Then the user withdraws the pole and it follows that the line 11 is now drawn, by the pole, through the eye or around the object toward the user. The user now has two ends of the line 11 at hand and makes fast having first presumably detached the line from its attachment at 7. To cast off all that has to be done is to release one end of the line 11.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 1A, an equivalent action to the embodiment of FIG. 1 is produced in which slots 54 and 55, similar to slots 4 and 5, are made in a shuttle portion 56A; and pins 58, 59 and 60, similar to pins 8, 9 and 10, are fixed to the arms 2 and 3. Shuttle portion 56A is attached with portion 568 by suitable spacers, with portion 56B taking the form of a flat plate, as shown, or a member complimentary to portion 56A. The operation of this construction is the same as that of the form previously described, in that the shuttle 56 can swing downwardly clockwise about pivot 58 to admit the object to the fork. Then when the fork is withdrawn, the shuttle 56 can swing back into engagement with pivot 59 and then outwardly thereabout to carry the line about the object. The attachment of the device to the pole may permit it to be attached at a right or other angle with respect to the pole so that an eye or bight 12 or a vertical mooring rod or the like may be approached laterally rather than end on; this may be convenient where the eye or rod has only a small clearance from some obstruction from behind it.

In the variant shown in FIG. 2 the same references are used where applicable. The ends of the arms 2, 3, have circularly-shaped bores l4, 15, of which 14 has an open slit 14A and 15, a like slit 15A, the slits being radial from the bore axes, and opening in opposite senses as shown. The element 6 in this case has flat or perhaps slightly arc-sectioned pins l8, 19, which can enter and leave the slits l4, 15 respectively and which when in, are snugly rotatable in the respective bores. In this example stop pins such as 10 are not required. The mode of operation is unchanged.

To facilitate the use of a line handler at night, it is proposed to fit, preferably countersunk in the junction of the arms 2, 3, an electric lamp 46 provided with its own battery 48 which can be switched on to illuminate the shuttle and the eye or the like through or about which a line is to be passed.

In a further modification of the device the shuttle may be resiliently loaded towards the central position (i.e. the position shown in full line in FIGS. 1 and 2), thus preventing the necessity to pull the line after the first operation and to return the shuttle manually after the second'operation. Anexample is shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A. Two cranked links 20, 21 are fast on pins 22, 23 journalled in the two cheek plates 6A, 6B with the lobes 20A, 21A of the links being adapted to engage respectively in the slots 4 and 5 of a fork member similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Links 20 and 21 are each permitted to rotate away from the central position anticlockwise in relation to cheek plates 6A and 68, as viewed in the Figures, clockwise rotation being prevented by stops 24, 25, in abutment with the cheek plates. The links 20, 21 are interconnected as shown by a tension spring 26 to urge the arms in a clockwise direction as viewed in the Figures.

The operation of this modified from is as follows. When the user performs the first operation link 21 is detached from its slot, link 20 being constrained by virtue of the cooperation between lobe 20A and slot 4 to remain in the position shown in FIG. 3. The rest of the shuttle, carrying with it the link 21, swings inwardly and clockwise about pin 22. Thus, in efiect, the link 20 has rotated anticlockwise relative to the shuttle thereby stretching the spring 26 which exerts a restoring force to bring the shuttle back into the central position. During the second operation a similar situation occurs, in this case the link 21 effectively being rotated anticlockwise relative to the shuttle and again the spring 26 restoring the shuttle to its central position. It will be appreciated that in this form the pins 22, 23 take the place of the pins 8, 9 of FIG. I, and thus for optimum performance the slots and associated hooks (and also the corresponding lobes) will be arcuate about these pins, stops as at 10 also being provided as in FIG. I, if required.

Another resiliently loaded form is shown in FIG. 4. In this example, which operates in a similar fashion to that described above, spring links 27, 28 fast on pins 29, 30 are journalled between the cheek plates. A flexible extension 31, 32 of each link, constituted for example by a thin strip of metal or plastics material is respectively held with sliding freedom between lugs 33 and 34 attached to the inside of one or other of the cheek plates. The extensions act as separate leaf springs tending to restore the shuttle to its central position when displaced therefrom in an analagous manner to that shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A. In FIG. 4A there is shown an adaptation of this leaf spring form. In the example illustrated only one side of the shuttle is spring biassed, the

device being suitable for passing a mooring line and automatically returning to the central position after the first operation i.e. without pulling on the line. In this case a spring link 38 is provided, having a lobe part 38A which is adapted to engage in the outwardly facing slot 4 on arm 2, a pin 39 journalled in the cheek plates emerging from a slot 40 in the region of the base of slot 4 to be extended in the form of a leaf spring externally of cheek plate 6A and in sliding abutment with a lug 41. The slot 40 is elongated to facilitate on assembly of the shuttle the entry of the lobe 38A to the space between the cheek plates. The deformed position of the spring link 38 is notionally indicated in broken line at 42. Clearly this construction can be adapted to provide spring biassing for the return of the shuttle after the second operation by providing a similar link, inverted, at the other end of the shuttle.

An interesting use of the doubly resiliently loaded device is in the performance of a continous series of operations so that, for example, a tape may be wrapped is an adaption of the basic device provided with a handie 35 for single-handed operation. The shuttle 6 is resiliently loaded to return to its central position as described above and carries-on it a reel of tape notionally indicated at 36 the offtake being indicated at 37. The device is used as before, but in this case the entire reel is carried with the shuttle around the pipe or the like, unwinding the tape 37 as it is passed the end of which has been secured at one end of the pipe. A series of passing" operations is achieved simply by reciprocating the device to and fro across the pipe, the shuttle automatically returning to its central position at the end of each phase of the operation.

Although my invention has been hereinbefore described with respect to certain specific examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the' invention as set forth in the appended claims.

l claim: V g A l. A device for passing a line around an object comprising; I

a fork element having first and second arms disposed in fixed, spaced relationship with respect to each other;

ajshuttle element to which a line may be attached;

' first releasable coupling means pivotally connecting said shuttle element with said first arm;

second releasable coupling means pivotally connecting said shuttle element with said second arm; said first coupling means releasing said shuttle elementfor pivotal movement about said second coupling means only in a first arcuate path outside the space between'said first and second arms of said fork element; and said second coupling means releasing said shuttle element for pivotal movement about said first coupling means only in a second arcuate path within the space between said first and second arms of said fork element.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said arms is provided with a first slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said armsis provided with a second slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart pivot pins adapted to be borne respectively in said slots, said first and second slots and cooperating pivot pins forming said first and second coupling means, respectively, so that the shuttle element can swing about the first slot inwardly away .from the second slot and about the second slot outwardly away from the first slot.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said slots are bounded, on a side of each ann which faces the other arm, by hooklike arcuate projections of constant thickness, each pivot pin being associated with abutment means spaced from the pin by a dimension substantially equal to the thickness of said projections whereby release of said shuttle from one arm locks the same in engagement with the other arm.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which both arms are provided with pivot pins and the shuttle element is provided with a pair of spaced apart slots opening in opposite directions and adapted to engage said pivot pins, each of said spaced slots and its cooperating pivot pin forming one of said first and second coupling means, respectively, so that the shuttle element can swing about a first of said pivot pins inwardly away from the second of said pivot pins, and about said second pivot pin outwardly away from said first pivot pin.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which the shuttle element is at all times resiliently biassed towards that position in which it is in engagement with both arms.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which one of said arms is provided with a slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart, pivotally mounted links, one end of each link defining a lobe for engagement with a respective slot, the other ends of the links being joined by tensioning means.

7. A device according to claim 6 in which one of said arms is provided with a slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart, pivotally mounted links, one end of each link defining a lobe for engagement with a respective slot, the other end of each link being extended in the form of a leaf spring in sliding abutment with the shuttle element.

8. A device according to claim 5 in which a store of continous line is carried upon the shuttle element intermediate of the two arms.

9. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said arms is provided with a first slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a second slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pivot pin adapted to be borne in said second slot and a pivotally mounted link, a lobe section of said link being adapted to engage in said first slot, the link being extended in the form of a leaf spring in sliding abutment with the shuttle element.

10. A device according to claim 1 in which the shuttle element extends outwardly beyond at least one of said arms, the extension being'provided with means to which a line can be attached.

I 11.A device according to claim l-in which an electric lamp is provided integrally with the fork element.

12. A device according to claim 1 further including means for connecting said fork element on the end of a pole.

13. A device according to claim ll wherein said first and second coupling means cooperate to preclude detachment of said shuttle element from said fork element.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said first coupling means locks said shuttle element to said first arm when said shuttle element is released from said second arm, and said second coupling means locks said shuttle element to said second arm when said shuttle element is released from said first arm, said shuttle element being releasable from either one of said arms when in a position in engagement with both of said arms.

15. A device according to claim 1 further including means urging said shuttle element into engagement with said second coupling means during movement of said shuttle element along said second arcuate path.

16. A device for passing a line about an object comprising a two-armed fork element and a shuttle element adapted to engage the two arms by means of cooperating pivots and open ended recesses, one of said arms provided with a first circular bore having a radial siit opening outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms provided with a second circular bore having a radial slit opening inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart flattened pins adapted to be borne in said bores so that the shuttle element can swing about said first bore inwardly away from said second bore and about said second bore outwardly away from said first bore, the pins escaping from respective bores through said slits during such swinging motion such that the shuttle element can swing about either arm in one sense of direction to release the shuttle element from engagement with the alternative arm, subsequent swinging movement of the shuttle element in the alternate sense of direction being such as to re-engage the shuttle element with the last mentioned arm so that the engagement with the first arm can thereafter be released, the shuttle element being adapted to carry the line to be passed.

17. A device for passing a line around an object comprising a unitary fork element having first and second arms, a shuttle element long enough to at least span the space between and normally in engagement with the said first and second arms, said shuttle element adapted to have a line attached thereto, said shuttle element having a first end part which is adapted to detachably 8v engage the said second arm, and another part which is adapted to detachably engage said first arm, the means for detachable engagement between said first and second arms and said another part and said first end part respectively comprising pivots on one of the elements and cooperating open ended oppositely facing slots on the other element, the pivots and cooperating slots being so arranged that the shuttle element when normally spanning the space between said arms and upon engagement with said object as the fork element is moved towards said object, will swing about the first arm to a position between the arms and in so doing will cause release of the said first end part of the shuttle element from the second arm so that the object can enter between said arms and pass-beyond the said first end part of said shuttle element to reside temporarily within the arms of said fork element, subsequent swinging movement of said shuttle element in the reverse direction about said first arm causing re-engagement of the said first end part of the shuttle element with the second arm and after said re-engagement, said shuttle element with the line attached thereto and under the influence of force applied by said object as said fork element is withdrawn from said object will then be swung about said second arm to a position outwardly of said fork element and away from said first arm to allow said object to escape, whereby upon continued movement of said fork element and shuttle element away from said object, said line attached to said shuttle element will be drawn around said object. 

1. A device for passing a line around an object comprising: a fork Element having first and second arms disposed in fixed, spaced relationship with respect to each other; a shuttle element to which a line may be attached; first releasable coupling means pivotally connecting said shuttle element with said first arm; second releasable coupling means pivotally connecting said shuttle element with said second arm; said first coupling means releasing said shuttle element for pivotal movement about said second coupling means only in a first arcuate path outside the space between said first and second arms of said fork element; and said second coupling means releasing said shuttle element for pivotal movement about said first coupling means only in a second arcuate path within the space between said first and second arms of said fork element.
 2. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said arms is provided with a first slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a second slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart pivot pins adapted to be borne respectively in said slots, said first and second slots and cooperating pivot pins forming said first and second coupling means, respectively, so that the shuttle element can swing about the first slot inwardly away from the second slot and about the second slot outwardly away from the first slot.
 3. A device according to claim 2 in which said slots are bounded, on a side of each arm which faces the other arm, by hooklike arcuate projections of constant thickness, each pivot pin being associated with abutment means spaced from the pin by a dimension substantially equal to the thickness of said projections whereby release of said shuttle from one arm locks the same in engagement with the other arm.
 4. A device according to claim 1 in which both arms are provided with pivot pins and the shuttle element is provided with a pair of spaced apart slots opening in opposite directions and adapted to engage said pivot pins, each of said spaced slots and its cooperating pivot pin forming one of said first and second coupling means, respectively, so that the shuttle element can swing about a first of said pivot pins inwardly away from the second of said pivot pins, and about said second pivot pin outwardly away from said first pivot pin.
 5. A device according to claim 1 in which the shuttle element is at all times resiliently biassed towards that position in which it is in engagement with both arms.
 6. A device according to claim 5 in which one of said arms is provided with a slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart, pivotally mounted links, one end of each link defining a lobe for engagement with a respective slot, the other ends of the links being joined by tensioning means.
 7. A device according to claim 6 in which one of said arms is provided with a slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart, pivotally mounted links, one end of each link defining a lobe for engagement with a respective slot, the other end of each link being extended in the form of a leaf spring in sliding abutment with the shuttle element.
 8. A device according to claim 5 in which a store of continous line is carried upon the shuttle element intermediate of the two arms.
 9. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said arms is provided with a first slot extending outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms is provided with a second slot extending inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pivot pin adapted to be borne in said second slot and a pivotally mounted link, a lobe section of said link being adapted to enGage in said first slot, the link being extended in the form of a leaf spring in sliding abutment with the shuttle element.
 10. A device according to claim 1 in which the shuttle element extends outwardly beyond at least one of said arms, the extension being provided with means to which a line can be attached.
 11. A device according to claim 1 in which an electric lamp is provided integrally with the fork element.
 12. A device according to claim 1 further including means for connecting said fork element on the end of a pole.
 13. A device according to claim 1 wherein said first and second coupling means cooperate to preclude detachment of said shuttle element from said fork element.
 14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said first coupling means locks said shuttle element to said first arm when said shuttle element is released from said second arm, and said second coupling means locks said shuttle element to said second arm when said shuttle element is released from said first arm, said shuttle element being releasable from either one of said arms when in a position in engagement with both of said arms.
 15. A device according to claim 1 further including means urging said shuttle element into engagement with said second coupling means during movement of said shuttle element along said second arcuate path.
 16. A device for passing a line about an object comprising a two-armed fork element and a shuttle element adapted to engage the two arms by means of cooperating pivots and open ended recesses, one of said arms provided with a first circular bore having a radial slit opening outwardly of the fork element and the other of said arms provided with a second circular bore having a radial slit opening inwardly towards the fork element, the shuttle element being provided with a pair of spaced apart flattened pins adapted to be borne in said bores so that the shuttle element can swing about said first bore inwardly away from said second bore and about said second bore outwardly away from said first bore, the pins escaping from respective bores through said slits during such swinging motion such that the shuttle element can swing about either arm in one sense of direction to release the shuttle element from engagement with the alternative arm, subsequent swinging movement of the shuttle element in the alternate sense of direction being such as to re-engage the shuttle element with the last mentioned arm so that the engagement with the first arm can thereafter be released, the shuttle element being adapted to carry the line to be passed.
 17. A device for passing a line around an object comprising a unitary fork element having first and second arms, a shuttle element long enough to at least span the space between and normally in engagement with the said first and second arms, said shuttle element adapted to have a line attached thereto, said shuttle element having a first end part which is adapted to detachably engage the said second arm, and another part which is adapted to detachably engage said first arm, the means for detachable engagement between said first and second arms and said another part and said first end part respectively comprising pivots on one of the elements and cooperating open ended oppositely facing slots on the other element, the pivots and cooperating slots being so arranged that the shuttle element when normally spanning the space between said arms and upon engagement with said object as the fork element is moved towards said object, will swing about the first arm to a position between the arms and in so doing will cause release of the said first end part of the shuttle element from the second arm so that the object can enter between said arms and pass beyond the said first end part of said shuttle element to reside temporarily within the arms of said fork element, subsequent swinging movement of said shuttle element in the reverse direction about said first arm causing re-engagement of the said first end part of the shuttle element wIth the second arm and after said re-engagement, said shuttle element with the line attached thereto and under the influence of force applied by said object as said fork element is withdrawn from said object will then be swung about said second arm to a position outwardly of said fork element and away from said first arm to allow said object to escape, whereby upon continued movement of said fork element and shuttle element away from said object, said line attached to said shuttle element will be drawn around said object. 